The Contrary Building's Name

Jan 26, 2013

RAY: This is another in the series of my "driving back and forth to work" puzzlers. To get home, I wind my way through the back streets of Cambridge, going through various neighborhoods, some of which have businesses of one kind of another: industrial buildings, little factories, warehouses or office buildings and the like.

There's one building I pass every day that makes me chuckle. This building bears the name of the enterprise contained within its walls. I laugh because its name seems incongruous with the building.

There are many other buildings just like this one. And, as a matter of fact, if you went into this building to ask for a demonstration of the product they sell...

TOM: They wouldn't be able to give you one.

RAY: Right! However, if they took you to a building, perhaps next door or a few doors down, they could easily give you a demonstration of the product that they sell.

Here's a hint: I can safely say that each and every one of us has used the product that they sell.

Answer:

RAY: Here’s how you solve it.

What's unique about this building is that it's a one-story building. And the reason they can't demonstrate the product that they sell in this one-story building is that they sell elevators. It is the ABC Elevator Company. And every time I see it, I say, "What a stupid building to have chosen." And, of course, the other answer is they could be selling escalators. So, do we have a winner?

TOM: We do! The winner this week is Neil Judell from Waltham, Massachusetts. Congratulations, Neil!